title: Detection of HIV-1 in human lung macrophages using the polymerase chain reaction.
abstract: We have used the polymerase chain reaction to investigate HIV-1 infection of lung macrophages from 44 AIDS patients with pneumonia. Proviral HIV-1 DNA was detected in the lung macrophages of 47% (21 of 44) of patients tested; 32% (seven of 21) of the patients had Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), and 56% (11 of 21) had pneumonia caused by other aetiological agents. Matched peripheral blood specimens were obtained from 22 patients in this study, and HIV-1-specific DNA was detected in 100% (22 out of 22) of non-adherent white cell preparations tested. HIV was detected in blood monocytes of 11 out of 22 patients (50%), and a virus signal was also found in the lung macrophages of eight of these patients. Our results indicate that PCP does not predispose lung macrophages to HIV-1, nor does HIV-1 infection of lung macrophages increase the probability of contracting PCP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, St Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, UK.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Krishnan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Jeffries
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000382:microbiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009000:Monocytes / Q000382:microbiology; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000150:complications; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral